Light at the End
by OnryMe
Summary: Sorry for the repost.. I went to add another chaper and got confused! So, here's chapter 2. Will an accident bring together lovers or tear them up for eternity? T/CJ & J/D
1. Default Chapter

The day was turning into night for the third consecutive time, and he was still in the same spot he was in the first day he arrived. Sitting on the most God-awful chair ever manufactured and still holding her hand. His short, stout fingers encased her long, elegant ones -- ever mindful of the various tubes running through her pale skin. Toby sighed. It had been three days since he had received the phone call that changed his life.  
  
***  
  
"Ginger!" A pause.  
  
"Ginger!" A little louder. Another pause.  
  
"Ginger, I swear to God --" Toby rose from his desk just as Ginger's body appeared. "What!" She was breathless and her hands were full of files.  
  
"What happened to that memo from the committee that supports the nature thing? The President wanted to address it in the State of the Union, I need to go over it and decide if I need to speak with him about that choice."  
  
Ginger shook her head. Would it kill him to use specifics? "Yeah, I'm on it. I'll have it to you before lunch."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Ginger turned to leave again, but before she could make it to the solace that was her desk, he did it again.  
  
"Ginger!"  
  
She plopped the files down on the desk, sighed, and turned on her heel to head back to her boss' desk.  
  
"What now?"  
  
Toby was seated again and had a concerned demeanor about him. "Have you seen CJ today?"  
  
Ginger thought back through her unorthodoxly hectic morning. Sure, she had only been there for an hour, but still. Nope, no CJ. "No, and apparently you haven't either?"  
  
"No, and she is usually here by now." Toby glanced at his watch. "Okay, she's usually been here for two hours by now." His demeanor visibly changed.  
  
The phone rang. His eyes met Ginger's.  
  
He picked up the phone.  
  
"Is this Toby Zeigler?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
***  
  
Seventy two hours. He had been by her side for seventy two hours. Of that amount of time, she had been conscious only 2 hours. During those brief interludes she had been in so much pain that Toby could barley tolerate it. The doctor's said that it was a miracle that she had survived, that she really shouldn't have. He knew that she would, because that was just the person CJ was.  
  
Looking up at her, he saw her ashen face obscured by ugly bruises and various and assorted tubing flowing into her throat and around her face. The steady beep of the machine indicating her heart beat granted him some comfort. He knew that, even if she wasn't awake, the beep meant that she was alive and her heart was functioning. However, Toby knew that CJ's heart was always functioning, and usually in was in overdrive. She showed so much love and compassion for every being on earth. With his free hand, he reached up and moved a stray lock of hair off her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. As he did so, the rest of the events from the day he knew he'd never forget came back to him once more.  
  
*** "Mister Zeigler, this is Doctor Alexis Willows at George Washington Hospital, I'm calling in reference to a Ms. Claudia Jean Cregg."  
  
"Yes, what about CJ?" Toby's brow furrowed.  
  
"She was involved in a car accident earlier this morning and you're listed as the next of kin in her medical file."  
  
"How," Toby's heart began to thump inside his chest, his breathing became labored. "How is she?"  
  
"That is information that I am not authorized to release over the phone, but we do need you to get here as soon as possible."  
  
"What do you mean you can't tell me over the phone?" Toby was outraged.  
  
"Sir," Doctor Willows paused. "I'm sorry, but its hospital protocol."  
  
Toby didn't want to argue, he just wanted CJ to be alright, and he wanted to see her. "Okay, fine. I'll be there as soon as I can. Bye." Even as he was speaking on the phone, he was clearing his desk of the items that needed to be before he left. Since it was so early in the morning, he was finished before he got off the phone. Toby hung up, blew past Ginger, grabbed his coat and was out the door. Ginger, who was a little dazed by Toby's swift movements, quickly regained her composure and ran after Toby.  
  
She found him right outside of Leo's office. He knocked on the door and entered without hearing a response and Ginger right behind. Leo looked up and was ready to chastise Toby for entering so rudely, but the look on Toby's face stopped him.  
  
Leo's features softened. "What's going on, Toby?"  
  
"I just got a call from GW Hospital, and they said that CJ was in car accident this morning, and since I'm listed as her next of kin, I need to get there as soon as I can."  
  
Leo immediately gave Toby permission to leave, with a promise to call the second he had any news. So he was off, as fast as one could in the early morning traffic in Washington, DC. Try as though he might, Toby never got above 30 miles an hour and hit every single red light between the White House and the hospital. Through his journey, he cursed every driver on the road in three languages, often getting them mixed. So, he ended up calling one motorist an ignorant, dim-witted idiot who never should have gotten their license, in English, Yiddish, and Spanish.  
  
Toby's car sped into the first parking spot he could find, and he jerked a tad when it came to a stop. He ran through the parking garage and in between the sliding glass doors marked 'Emergency'. His sprint continued by germ-infested kids, bleeding adults, and a few people hacking up their lungs until he reached the Information Desk.  
  
"CJ," Toby was quite winded and he shook his head. "Er, Claudia Jean Cregg. I need to know where she is, or how she is, or whatever."  
  
The petite brunette cracked a small smile. "Toby Zeigler?" Toby simple nodded. The doctor felt around for a file. Toby saw CJ's name on the top. "I'm Doctor Willows, please follow me." She led him away from the ailing people and into a room with a sign on the door for privacy. Toby began to get very nervous. She walked toward the far end of the table and motioned for Toby to have a seat, he did.  
  
"Mister Zeigler--"  
  
"Toby, please."  
  
The doctor nodded. "Miss Cregg was brought in about twenty minutes ago. The doctors are still trying to stabilize her and assess all the damage. We do know that there is significant damage done to her lung, and extensive damage to her left side. From the looks of the X-Rays, all of the bones are broken."  
  
Toby nodded. "When do you think she'll," Toby's eyes focused downwards, then back to the doctor's face. "She'll be stable enough for the surgery."  
  
"It should be fairly soon." Her pager went off. After checking the number, she met Toby's eyes again. "In fact, that was about Miss Cregg. If you'll excuse me, I need to go check up on her condition, and then I'll be right back." The doctor stood and left the room, leaving Toby alone with his fears.  
  
***  
  
The loneliness and fear returned once more after the nurses had whisked CJ off for more tests. The main concern for the doctors was the damage done to her spine. The harm was horrendous to say the least, but Toby held every notion that CJ would survive through, no matter how long or bumpy the road was going to be. No matter how difficult or painful, CJ would make it, because CJ never gave up on anything in her life. Toby said a quick prayer of thanks that she had survived this far and asked for the strength to get through lay ahead.  
  
Just as he finished, the nurses came back with CJ. One of them looked to Toby, and answered his unspoken question. "It'll be a little bit before we know anything."  
  
Toby shook his head and the nurses went about settling CJ in once more. After they left, Toby returned to his position and took CJ's hand in his. He brought it up to his lips and placed a small kiss on her fingers. Tears were forming behind his lids.  
  
"You've got to get through this CJ." Pause. "You've just got to." A few tears escaped their bondage. "I love you." 


	2. Chapter 2 Comfort

"The President will be at George Washington Hospital this afternoon to visit CJ Cregg and then he will meet with Senators Evans, McLaughlin, and Richardson regarding the education bill." Josh's voice was soft when referring to CJ.  
  
Danny stood. "How is CJ?"  
  
Josh cleared his throat. "It is not the place of the White House to comment on the personal lives of its staffers."  
  
"Come on, Josh!" Danny was furious.  
  
Rachael Morton, from the Post, stood and with a softer voice pleaded with the man at the podium. "Josh, really, can't you just say if she is alright? What about her family? We know her dad has Alzheimer's -- has he been to see her?"  
  
Frank Dooley, from MSNBC, stood. "Are there any leads as to who hit her?"  
  
"Look, the White House cannot comment. Thank you, and that's a full lid." Josh's voice was a forceful staccato as he left the podium and made a bee- line for his office.  
  
He blew past Donna in the hall and she followed him into his sanctuary. Josh was sitting behind his desk with his head in his hands and as he spoke, it didn't leave them. "Just give me ten minutes, Donna, just ten."  
  
"Sorry, can't do that."  
  
Josh didn't answer. For some reason he didn't mind her presence, in fact he welcomed it. Donna walked around the desk and around placed her hands over his. She gently moved them down, and forced him to look into her eyes. He saw the water forming in her eyes, and that caused tears to form in the corners of his chocolate orbs as well.  
  
"Josh, talk to me," His eyes remained on hers, but he was reluctant to speak. "Please."  
  
"I can't believe that this happened." His tone was soft and detached. "Especially to her. She was just coming' to work and some bastard hit her." The emotion grew as he spoke. "Then doesn't have the balls to stay to see if she's okay!" A single tear slipped down his cheek. "It's just wrong -- just so wrong!"  
  
"Oh, Josh." Donna shook her head and wiped the tear away with the pad of her thumb. "She'll get through it. You know her." Donna laughed a bit. "She's as stubborn as they come."  
  
Josh scoffed. "Yeah, but now, she can't move. She's laying there, in a drug-induced coma, with Toby by her side. Have you seen her yet?"  
  
Donna just shook her head. "It's awful, Donna, just awful. She's so bruised, her entire face is discolored. There are tubes running every which way, and she's just there." Josh paused and looked into Donna's eyes looking for some sort of comfort there.  
  
"Toby says that he knows she's in pain--that it's etched into her face." His voice cracked.  
  
"Toby called the other day when you were in a meeting with Congressman Lewis." Donna's voice was soft. "He said that she was awake for fifteen minutes."  
  
Josh's face lifted, but his brow furrowed. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
Donna ignored his question and continued speaking. "He said that when she was awake, she was in so much pain that she could hardly speak, and when she did, he could hardly hear her."  
  
Josh shook his head. "Why did it happen to her? Of all the people, why CJ?"  
  
Donna gave a small smirk. "Probably because she's the only one of us who could get through this." When Josh didn't respond Donna figured her attempt at humor was a little out of place. "Seriously, Josh, I don't know why things happen. I do know that CJ is strong and determined. I know that Toby hasn't left since he got there three days ago. I know that he won't let her give up." She saw Josh begin to smile. "And, I know that she'll be back here as soon as physically possible, probably before that even!"  
  
Josh and Donna shared mutual smiles. He leaned in, so close that she could feel his breath on her face. They both closed their eyes and moved toward each other. Time slowed as both parted their lips only millimeters. Closer and closer they moved until they were so close they could almost feel the moisture from each other's lips.  
  
Knock, knock, knock.  
  
Donna pulled back and Josh groaned. His face was a lovely shade of red while Donna turned her face so no one could see what color it had turned. As Danny barged in, Donna snuck out. Josh stood and quickly attempted to mask his blushing, and spoke.  
  
"Thanks, Danny." Sarcasm was dripping from every word. "Generally, it's custom to wait after you knock."  
  
"Look, I'm sorry to interrupt, but why are you being so evasive about CJ?" Danny walked to the desk. "I'm not asking as the press right now, I'm asking as a friend, as CJ's friend. Now, please, is she alright?"  
  
The desperation was evident in his voice. Josh could've sworn that he heard Danny's voice crack. He sighed in defeat and stood. He never liked holding a conversation with one party standing and the other sitting, especially if he was the one sitting. "Look, you've got to promise me, this is one hundred percent off the record."  
  
"Absolutely. I just want to know what I can do to help her."  
  
Josh nodded. "Honestly, there's really nothing you can do."  
  
Danny's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I just mean, well, that she's pretty much being taking care of by Toby right now. He's been there for three days, and he hasn't left."  
  
"That's great and all, but I just want to know how she is. Do you guys really not know what happened?"  
  
"We really aren't sure who did it. She was driving in on Tuesday and was hit on the driver's side by some sort of massive vehicle." Danny paled. "They hit her pretty hard, ugh; the paramedics had to use the Jaws of Life to get her out of the car."  
  
"Oh, my God. Was she conscious during all of this?"  
  
Josh sat, and Danny took the prompt and did so as well. There was a bit of a pause before Josh spoke again. In his mind's eye he was seeing CJ stuck in the car, her body contorted in positions that were anything but natural, blood everywhere and mixing with the tears running down her cheeks. Quickly, he shook the sight from his mind and focused on Danny's grim face ahead of him. "Yeah, I think that Toby said that she was. I'm not one hundred percent though."  
  
Danny nodded. An uncomfortable silence fell and both looked at their hands as if some sort of answer would be found within the crevasses of their appendages. "So, how is she now?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I haven't spoken with Toby in a while." A few moments passed as Josh waged an inner battle over how much to reveal. Suddenly, with a rise of his head, his decision was made. "Why don't, uh, you go and see her."  
  
Danny looked surprised and a glimmer of hope swept through his eyes. "I will, definitely. What room?"  
  
"ICU number 17." Josh's eyes met his desk and he stood. "It'll do her good to hear from all of her friends." There was a hint of a question in his voice.  
  
"You're right Josh. That's what I see us as, friends. Only friends."  
  
The two men nodded and Danny left Josh in the room alone with his thoughts. 


End file.
